The Jump Start riddim, produced by Lloyd Dennis for his Pickout imprint is the latest of a handful of new UK based roots tunes. By roots I am not talking about the ‘steppers’ style but of conscious reggae more in tune with the traditions of Jamaican reggae in regards to how the tracks are built. This riddim was an immediate hit with me, after speaking to the producer and being told that i was to expect ‘some wicked roots music’ I was not disappointed in the slightest when I heard the resulting tracks. The artists that are used are huge too, ranging from the heavy ‘Better can Duck’ by modern roots veteran Luciano to ‘Jump Start’ by the awesome Carlton Livingstone and ‘Wondering’ by sound killing 80′s master Robert ‘Leader’ Lee.
It’s great to hear that music like this is still being produced and also is wicked to get music coming out that is not just a re-creation of something that has gone before it like so many so-called ‘retro’ producers that are about these days. This is where roots reggae should be heading, instead of head-banging tunes that sound more like bastardised Dubstep than the sweetest sound on the Earth.
Pickout is a well established label and it seems that it will be around for years to come if this new 7″ is anything to go by. Dennis is also keeping the old school alive by releasing this on a series of vinyl, anyone who is doing this deserves props because it is people like this that keep people like us happy. Pickout will always be a Wordplay favourite, alongside labels like Peckings, Maximum Sound, Necessary Mayhem and Stingray to name but a few for this fact (as well as the obvious high calibre music being produced by these guys).
My favourite version of this wicked riddim is the Luciano, which sees the singer back on top form with an Xterminator like performance on vocal duty. After this tune it would have to be the cut named ‘Too Much Collie’ a blistering herbman anthem from the (new to me) artist Kush – I, both of which have been getting regular plays on the soundsystem and the home stereo.
The 45′s are available on Jah Waggy’s at the minute and will be available everywhere else I would assume. Support UK music and more importantly vinyl because these labels are keeping this thing going. Props to Lloyd Dennis and all artists and people involved.
Written By Jack Duffield
